As the New Year was rung in this weekend, lots of people will be thankful for the Monday bank holiday today (January 2).
There will be a whole host of new bank holidays and celebrations over 2023, including King Charles coronation in May. Some people will be keen to make a note of all the bank holidays that will occur this year, so they can plan their annual leave effectively.
So, how can you book your holidays at work to get an extra few days holiday in 2023?
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What are the bank holidays for Scotland in 2023?
Monday, January 2, 2023 (today): New Year's Day
Tuesday, January 3, 2023: Second Day of January
Friday, April 7, 2023: Good Friday
Monday, May 1, 2023: Early May Bank Holiday
Monday, May 8, 2023: King Charles III Coronation Bank Holiday
Monday, May 29, 2023: Spring Bank Holiday
Monday, August 7, 2023: Summer Bank Holiday
Thursday, November 30, 2023: St Andrew’s Day
Monday, December 25, 2023: Christmas Day
Tuesday, December 26, 2023: Boxing Day
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How do I get extra days off?
The first period to take time off is the four days prior to Good Friday and Easter Monday - in order to get a full, 10-day break instead. Take the following days off:
- Monday, April 3
- Tuesday, April 4
- Wednesday, April 5
- Thursday, April 6
Next, you can take four days off after the Early May bank holiday to give you nine days in total to relax. These are the dates:
- Tuesday, May 2
- Wednesday, May 3
- Thursday, May 4
- Friday, May 5
Having two days off at the end of May, after the Spring Bank Holiday, and another two at the start of June will give you nine consecutive days off.
- Tuesday, May 30
- Wednesday, May 31
- Thursday, June 1
- Friday, June 2
And by taking four days off at the end of August, after the Summer Bank Holiday, will give you nine days off work. These are the dates you need to book:
- Tuesday, August 29
- Wednesday, August 30
- Thursday, August 31
- Friday, September 1
And finally, if you take three days off work after Boxing Day 2023, you can get 10 days in total off work - rounding the year off nicely.
- Wednesday, December 27
- Thursday, December 28
- Friday, December 29
Of course, you might not be able to swing them all off – but even just one of these clever tricks for booking annual leave will help you get nine or 10 days off in a row, ideal for a relaxing break.
Georgia Gadsby March, co-founder of Unearth PR, says: "Maximising your annual leave and taking time off is hugely important for your mental health and ability to reprioritise.
"When we’re busy at work every day we often forget that work should come second to other aspects of our life, such as family and our general health and wellbeing.
"Taking nine and 10 days off at a time can help us properly reconnect with those priorities, have a break from any work-related stress, and enjoy time doing whatever it is that makes you happy outside of work."
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